The repopsitory for civil records in Italy are in the place where the event took place (birth,marriage death etc). You must write in Italian (form letters are available at www.circolocalabrese.org) and know the full name and year of birth (approximate year is your last choice). Send form with self addressed envelope and $5.00 (even thoguh service is free it is low on priority) and mail to UFFICIO DI STATO CIVILE, Postale (ZIP), Town name and Province. Peter

The postal code for Mezzanego is 16046. It is in the Provence of Genova (GE) in the region of Liguria. This is no where near Benevento.

Now, a lot of the civil records from cities in the South of Italy are on microfilm at the Family History Library. Included would be some towns in Benevento. So if you have the wrong town name, you should once again check and make sure. Easier to rent the microfilms then trying to send away for everything......otherwise, the postal code above will reach the town of Mezzanego.

Missboge wrote:I was asking about Mezzanego because I think that is where my ancestors lived before coming to NYC.

Records are kept in the town where the event took place. A birth record will be in the town of birth, not the town of last residence. While these might be the same, but they could also be different.

What is the first and last name of the ancestor that went to NYC and about what year did they arrived? We can find them in the census, find when they arrived and maybe locate a passenger record that might help tell the town of origin. If you are postive that is the town of record, then do send for the info. Otherwise, let us check and see if we can determine where you should be looking.

If they are to be in Benevento, it is a far cry from Genova...that is all I am trying to indicate.

My ancesyors names are Jacob (Jiacomo) Boggiano and according to census records of 1880, he arrived i 1871 to NYC. His last name in 1880 census is misspelled but only in the 1880 census. His wife Benedetta Boggiano arrived in 1870. I have already looked on ancestry but have not found them. There was a Jacque and Benedetta who came in 1879 with their children three of whom have the same names as my ancesters but in all the census it says that they arrived before 1879.

There is one record that is probably him:
Giacomo Boggiano 20 Feb 1871 55 Male Trieste Marsella USA ITA Ismailia Giacomo is the name for Jacob in Italian...in Italian, there is no "J"...only for foreign names...

The arrival date tends to indicate that they are Northern Italians...most who arrived prior to the 1880's were from Northern Italy. The Southern Italian migrations came later and overpowered the numbers from the North. So, it is a good bet that writing to that town in the North could produce results.

Since Louis was 9 years in 1880 and born in Italy, and Benny was 6 and born in NY, it means the family came to NY sometime after 1870 and before 1874. Now, Benedetta will probably be listed by her maiden name...it was the name used by women in Italy as their legal name...it never changed from birth, they never adopted the name of their husbands. Anyway, often the children get listed with the women's maiden name because those filling out the paperwork did not know it was her maiden name. So it could be you will not find the paperwork. But had Benedetta arrived in 1870, Louis could not have been born in Italy in 1871 unless she returned there...not likely, but possible.

If you try and track Louis, you might be able to find naturalization papers for him...and a declaration of intent. This should give you the town of origin and the ship they took and date. Where did Louis live? New York? I could not find a reference in the census to find him.......

Anyway, this might give you a clue where to look.

Also, there is a Boggiano group at Yahoo that you might wish to check out. Could give you some leads on this family name.

On my grandfather Louis' death certificate, it says that he was born in 1874. I sent away for that year. My great grandmother's maiden name was on her death certificate and on Louis' death certificate so I can look her up in Italy using her maiden name.
I also found Giacomo Boggiano arriving in 1871 on Ancestry but did not know until one of Louis' desth certificate that Jacob's name was spelled Giacomo.
Where would I find naturalization papers or intent papers if not on ancestry?
Mary Lou

Went looking and found this that should help......1900 census for Manhatten

Boggiano, Giacomo, born Sept. 1821, age 79, married for 35 years, born Italy, arrived in 1871, been in US 29 years, looks like naturalized in 1893...but hard to read.
--------, Ben????a, born Jun (Jan?)1839, age 70, married for 35 years, had 4 children, 3 living, born Italy, arrived 1870, been here 30 years.
--------, Louis, born Oct. 1870, age 30, born NY(?)
--------, Benny, born Feb. 1874, age 26, born NY
--------, Mary, born July, 1878, age 22, born NY
Baggiano, Lawerence, cousin, born Dec. 1883, age 19, born Italy

Looks like he lives at 30 Sullivan Street......ED 47, page 2 B

Not sure of the children's ages being correct....but it could be that the arrival date for Benedetta is wrong as well..not sure.

So, Louis is born in US...and we know that the arrival of Giacomo was indeed that one dated 20 Feb. 1871 on the ship Ismaili...so that answers one question

The naturalizaiton papers will be in the court where the naturalization took place. You can write and ask for the paperwork. Another way is to go to the Famiy History Library and request the the following microfilm: